Treadmills are a fantastic way to get or stay fit from a cardio perspective, especially in winter when the weather is often bad outside. Treadmill running is also a great way for beginners to get into running, figuring out pacing and getting comfortable with building up distance without worrying about how far out on the road or trails you can go.
Benefits of Treadmill Running
Convenience
No matter the weather, what time of day it is or which area you stay, you can hop on and go for a long run. Yes, it might be mentally more challenging because running outside brings levels of distractions so put on some music or a show and enjoy the run.
Controlled Environment
Not everyone has an accurate fitness tracker and phones and certain watches don’t record pace and distance very effectively, but running on a treadmill generally means that you can set your pace and distance work to that. It might also make it easier for you to then measure your progress over time. For example, if you start by running at a speed of 8 for 4 kilometres, you might find that after a few weeks, you can run at a speed of 9 etc.
Lower Impact
Running is a high impact sport, but treadmills are slightly lower impact on the body as they have cushioned belts and are “bouncier” than the road surface.
Weight Loss
Whether you spend time walking, jogging or running on a treadmill, it’s a great calorie-burning workout that can help you shed kilos.
Workout Variety
Because you can adjust speeds and elevation, you’re able to create a series of fun running workouts to keep you stimulated. Check out our workout options to try below.
Already a keen runner? Try these fun winter running workouts here: https://medshieldmovement.co.za/how-to-make-running-in-winter-more-fun-try-these-running-workouts/
Treadmill Workouts for Beginners
Walk-Run Workout
Using time as a measure instead of distance, do the following:
Warm-up: 5 minutes brisk walking
20 Minute Alternating Run: Run for 1 minute then walk for 2 minutes. Repeat until you hit 20 mins.
Cool-down: 5 minutes regular walking
Interval Training
Warm-up: 5 minutes of light jogging
20 Minute Interval Session: Sprint for 1 minute (the fastest run you can sustainably hold for a minute), then jog for 2 minutes. Repeat until you hit 20 minutes.
Cool-down: 5 minutes regular walking
Rolling Hills
Warm-up: 5 minutes brisk walking
Rolling Hills: Set the incline between 5-8% and jog for three minutes, then take it back down to 0 for 2 minutes. Repeat 4-5 times as you build up distance.
Cool-down: 5 minutes regular walking
Steady Run
Warm-up: 5 minutes of light jogging
Steady Run: 20-30 mins steady comfortable pace that you can hold. By the end you should be tired, but it has to be do-able to sustain the length of time.
Cool-down: 5 minutes regular walking
Add some strength training into your weekly routine to build muscle and improve your running. Try this workout aimed at runners, here: https://medshieldmovement.co.za/weight-training-to-improve-your-running-heres-what-to-do/
Encourage those around you to get fit too! Tag #MedshieldMovement in your workout posts on social media!